Foto-© Pooneh Ghana
Roberto Carlos Lange ist schon seit einigen Jahren umtriebig und hat bisher schon sechs Alben unter seinem musikalischen Alter Ego Helado Negro veröffentlicht – zuletzt This Is How You Smile in 2019, wofür er begeisterte Reviews erntete. Heute veröffentlicht der im Süden von Florida aufgewachsene und mittlerweile in Brooklyn wohnhafte Künstler ein Cover von Neil Youngs Lotta Love, das er mit der anstehenden US-Präsidentschafts-Wahl und der aktuellen weltweiten Krise im Hinterkopf produzierte. Darauf sind neben ihm Flock Of Dimes (Wye Oaks Jenn Wasner), Backing-Vocals von Devendra Banhart und Adron, sowie Trey Pollard am Klavier zu hören.
“I was captivated by the song’s sincerity and wondered how to make a version that compelled you to step closer to the words,” erklärt Roberto. “I wanted it to be hymnal and spiritual outside of religion. I interpreted the theme of the song to be about protection. How do we protect each other? Creating this version helped me find some sonic respite and hopefully it does the same for others.”
Über die Entstehung des Covers erzählt er: “When I began building the song’s bones, I sent it to my friend Jenn Wasner (Flock of Dimes), who immediately responded and sent the song back with bass, guitar, and the vocals. We met a few years ago when I began recording This Is How You Smile in Durham, NC, at Sylvan Esso’s studio. She lived across the street and played guitar on my song Seen My Aura. That same week I sent it to Trey Pollard, who played piano on the song, and Adron, who sang additional vocals. Both Trey and Adron have played on so many of my previous records. We share so many sonic sensibilities and work process’ that even sending music remotely is easy going, and the result is always so good. The only direction I gave to all three of the musicians was to add what they felt. The result was perfect and was everything I had hoped it to be. The one thing that needed more direction was the very last line before the end verse/chorus. So I sent it to Devendra and asked him to sing it and add anything that felt right. He did it that same day! I mixed and recorded everything from my home studio in Brooklyn and sent it to my friend Rachel Alina to master. Visual artist Kristi Sword made these beautiful color pieces that speak to the harmonic content of the song.”
Mit der Veröffentlichung des Covers, wurde übrigens auch bekannt, dass Helado Negro nun bei 4AD (The National, Aldous Harding, Future Islands) seine neue Label-Heimat gefunden hat!
